The Men Page #3

Who's going in?

Can you tell?

Oh, no! It can't be!

We're getting laughing boy.

King Bubbles

of the happy islands.

Good day, gentlemen.

I'm bringing you a playmate.

You're too good to us, Robbie.

If you wasn't so sexy,

you'd remind me of my mother.

There you are, handsome.

If there's anything

you want, just buzz.

You know how to buzz,

don't you?

If I do buzz,

will you send somebody else?

Be nice to Lt. Wilczek, boys.

He's not a well man.

Is that all you were, Mac?

Just a lieutenant?

How come the put him in here

with us generals?

Oh, lay off, Leo.

Hello, Wilczek. I'm Norm Butler.

Welcome to the country club.

I'm supposed to talk

to all new men about the P.V.A.,

Paralyzed Veterans of America.

We've got seven chapters now,

you know-

Sorry, I'm not a joiner.

Hey, don't talk to Norm that way.

He's a big wheel on the board.

You might need him someday.

- I'm not trying to sell you anything.

- Look, I told you!

I don't want to join any clubs!

Leave me alone, will ya?

Norm, can't you hear?

Leave the lieutenant alone.

Sure...

I'll leave him alone.

Certainly.

If a man wants to be left alone,

he's got a right to be left alone.

Hey, Angel, I'd like to introduce

you to the lieutenant,

but he wants

to be A-L-O-N-E.

Ah, Leo. Don't mind him.

He's a clown.

Yeah, I'm a clown.

Hey, Norm.

Did you ever see that picture,

The Smiling Lieutenant?

In person.

Hey, Lieutenant, sir!

Whose side were you on?

Don't, Leo.

He wants to be left alone.

Who's not leaving him alone?

The guy's a hero, ain't he?

"The hero is not fed on sweets.

Daily his own

heart he eats."

Oh, that's beautiful.

Who wrote that?

- Emerson.

- Fine man.

You know what, Norm?

I bet you the lieutenant

won the Silver Star.

With oak leaf clusters.

- And a good conduct medal.

- With oak leaf clusters.

Honest? You know,

he should be left alone.

The best his country can do

for him is none too good.

Yes, but you see,

he doesn't want to be a paraplegic.

He doesn't? That's funny.

I wouldn't have missed being

a paraplegic for anything.

Besides, sooner or later,

everybody walks.

I read it in the papers.

Why don't you give the guy a break?

He's got pain.

No foolin'?

Gee, that's tough.

You know, I never had any pain.

Did you, Norm?

Never.

Did you, Angel?

Why don't you

throw rocks at him?

You're too dumb to have pain.

Only smart people have pain.

Would you mind turning

your radio down?

Eh?

All right, you're a funny guy.

Now turn it down!

Eh?

The lieutenant would like you

to turn your radio down.

What's that? Turn it upside-down?

That's crazy, man!

Is that an order, Lieutenant, sir?

Your Highness, sir?

I don't think so.

He just thinks it's too loud.

I can't hear it. Besides,

I got big money riding on the fourth.

Turn it down!

What's the matter, Lieutenant?

You paralyzed or something?

Come on over here

and turn it down yourself!

I was a captain, Lieutenant,

and I'm ordering you to cool off.

Hello, Doctor.

- Soda?

- No, thanks.

How's Ken?

All right.

When I got your message,

I came right over.

- I was hoping-

- Yes, I know.

Tell me, how long did you know Ken

before he went into the army?

It wasn't a wartime romance,

if that's what you're driving at.

- We met in our first year at college.

- What was he like in those days?

- Naturally, I'm prejudiced.

- Naturally.

He was quite an athlete,

a very good football player.

I had a lot of competition.

Would you say he was self-centered?

A strong ego?

No. He was an orphan.

He'd been on his own a long time.

And the kids did

make a fuss over him.

With me, he'd always want

to be boss.

I let him think he was.

But he's very,

very nice, honestly.

Have you told him about me?

Yes. He doesn't

want to see you.

But you're going

to help me, aren't you?

I'm going to arrange

for you to see him.

But I'm not doing it

to help you.

I hope it'll help him.

That's fair enough.

You know, I have a feeling

you don't like me very much.

Why?

That isn't so.

I don't even know you.

You seem to be a very nice girl,

but you could turn out

to be very bad for him.

How?

Well, if you're going into

this because you're sorry for him-

Don't you think I'm the best judge

of my own emotions?

Possibly.

Hi, Doc.

You see, men like him...

with drive, ambition,

high hopes...

usually find it hard

to make an adjustment,

and he's no exception.

But I don't think you realize that

you've got an adjustment to make too.

Maybe I already have.

Have you?

I've got a hunch about you.

Ive got a feeling that down deep

you're hoping for a miracle-

some piece of magic that'll restore

this man to you as he was.

Is it wrong to hope?

There's a motto on the wall

of my office.

It goes like this:

"Please, God, give us the strength

to do the impossible,

"but give us the courage to recognize

what is really impossible.

And, above all, give us the wisdom

to distinguish between them."

May I see him now?

No. Come to my office

tomorrow night about 8:00.

There's a wedding, and

he'll be alone in the ward.

Thank you.

Bud?

How did you get in here?

Dr. Brock arranged it.

Don't look at me!

What do you want?

What did you come here for?

I told you I didn't want

anything to do with you!

Can't you understand

English, you stupid idiot?

Bud, darling, please.

"Bud, darling, please."

Start walking!

- No.

- I'll get you out of here.

Will you get out!

No.

All right, I'll give you

what you want.

You wanna see what it's

like? All right, look.

I said look at me!

Get a good look, Ellie.

Does it make you feel healthy?

ls that what you want?

Okay, you can go home now.

I'm not going home, Bud.

I'm staying with you.

Who asked you to pity me?

Why did you have to come?

Why didn't you listen?

I listened to you once.

I should've made you marry

me before you went away.

Ellie, go away, please.

What is it with you?

Don't you see it's all over?

How about some light in here?

Let's turn on those lights.

Come on, open it up!

Come on, hurry up!

Hey, that's not fair!

Everybody over to ward

Ward

Ward

- Bud-

- No, Ellie, no.

Why not?

Why not us?

I told you.

I told you why not.

Oh, we could make it.

We still love each other.

That hasn't changed.

Ellen, you don't know pity from love,

and you don't owe me anything.

Well, you owe me something.

I've waited four years.

I've followed you

from one hospital to another.

Oh, Bud,

we could really make it.

I worked all through the war.

I'm working now.

I mean, what would I be doing?

I'd go back to school

on an athletic scholarship.

I'd get a job weaving baskets.

What do you wanna do,

wait on me hand and foot all your life?

I'm like a baby.

You could build yourself up.

Others do.

You could try. You might even

walk again if you tried.

There's no hope.

The wires are cut.

All right.

But you could get better.

You could do lots of things.

Oh, please, please try!

Don't you see?

I need you.

There'll never be anyone else.

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